The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia will hold a short Vision Zero memorial for the recent victim of a crash in the Feltonville section of Philadelphia, and all victims of traffic violence, on Friday, February 23.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was hit by a driver while exiting his car on the 4700 block of Whitaker Avenue.

The Bicycle Coalition will meet at 11am at 4700 Whitaker Avenue to put up a Vision Zero Memorial sign and bring attention to another pedestrian killed on our streets.

Throughout 2018, the Bicycle Coalition is calling greater attention to pedestrian and bicyclist deaths throughout Philadelphia, no matter where they occur.

Earlier in February, the Bicycle Coalition met the Gabay family after they lost 21-year-old Daniela to traffic violence on Roosevelt Boulevard the day after the Philadelphia Eagles victory parade.

The Bicycle Coalition is holding these memorials throughout the year not only to bring attention to the people who lose their lives on our streets, but to the legislative changes that can help curb the rising rate of pedestrian deaths.

While we are encouraged by the Kenney Administration’s moves to create safer streets, the pace needs to increase to make progress toward the goal of eliminating fatal traffic crashes.

Additionally, there are simple changes the Pennsylvania Legislature could make – such as allowing Philadelphia to utilize speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard – that would have a positive impact on safety.

While I certainly respect the idea of holding memorials to recognize such deaths, doing so in a vacuum in terms of considering the causes of such accidents is out of place. Who says Vision Zero changes would have prevented this crash? True, reduced speeds can help. But, they are not a cure! The only cure is to get everyone to be more focused on what they are doing and constantly observant. In fact, this kind of thing allows higher speeds within reasonable limits and makes them perfectly safe, at least up to a point. So, is Vision Zero about safety, or is it an attempt to over-simplify the problem? Dumbing down safety is no way to have both useful transportation and safety at the same time. As in every political situation, the key to success is seeing the other party’s needs and compromising in such a way as to attempt to satisfy everyone to the extent practical.